Automatic candelabra



Filed April 9, 1949 tIN VEN TOI?. av//a 6: 57,0615.

Patented Feb. 28,3 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC CANDELABRADavid G. Sipcs, Struthers, Ohio Application April 9, 1949, Serial No.86,460

l This invention relates to Candelabra and more particularly torkCandelabra which maybe automatically lighted and extinguished-asdesired.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of Candelabraincorporating means for automatically lighting and extinguishing aplurality of simulated candles.

A further object of the invention is the provision .orf Candelabraincorporating wicks vand fuel supply means therefor togetherv with meansfor igniting the said wicks and extinguishing the same.

A still further object of 'the invention is the provision of vCandelabrahavin-gmeans for Ipro-- gressively lighting the l`various Candles andprogressively extinguishing the various candles.

A still further object of lthe invention is the provision of Candelabrawhich may be lighted by remote control and extinguished by remotecontrol.

The Candelabra kshown and described 'herein comprises an attractive andpractical mechanism usable in various indicated places such las churchesand the like in which Candelabras are employed for aesthetic effect. Itis well known that in lighting various Candelabra as rcommonly used inchurches, a den-nite arrangement of Candles is provided and 'illuminatedin ra predeterminded order and customarily extinguished in the sameorder.

Theinvention disclosed'herein provides a device simulating a Candelabraand candlestherein and, in addition, provides vfor the automaticignition of the candles on a predetermined 4pattern aswell as theautomatic extinguishment thereof When desired.

With vthe foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as `thedescription proceeds, the invention resides 'in the combination and.arrangement of partsand in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention 'is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view with parts broken away and parts in .cross.section .illustrating the .can-

delabra.

Figure 2 is a plan view oi a portion -of one of the simulated candles ofthe Candelabra and including a mechanism for controlling the same.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a vacuum pump for .5 Claims.

use in connection `with Candelabra shown Figure 1.

By referring to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular it will be seenthat a Candelabra has been .disclosed which comprises a mai-n supportingstand IIB vpreferably tubular in lnature and across piece II alsotubular in nature and supported on the upper end vof the main supportstand IG by means of a pair ofrsupporting brackets I2 and I3, each ofwhich is hollow and provided with lremovable Closures IA and I5,respectiyely. The cross piece I.I carries a plurality oi simulatedcandles l5, each ,of which is pro.- vided with a removable-conical tip IfI vand each of which is of tubular formation and y.encloses a tube I8.

The simulated candles I6 are mounted on rthe tubular cross piece I-I asby brazing the same thereto to form an integral structure therewith andthe tubes I8 communicate with the interior ci the tubular -cross piecelI I. The `tubes I8 terminate inwardly lfrom the uppermost end lof thesimulated candles I6 .and adjacent the tip I1 which is provided with acentral orice I9. A wick 2 0 :is positioned in the orifice I9 and is en-Closed in a-.wick tube 2l which is positioned partially within the tube20 and which extends outwardly through the side thereof. An annularpartition 22 is positioned about the tube i8 and registers with theinterior yof the simulated candles IB to iorm a chamber I3 in which anoil supply may ybe carried. The lower end of the wick 2.0 is Fpositionedinthe .chamber .23. It will thus he .seen that upon the v.upper end Aofthe wick 2.0 being ignited, the same will .burn with the flame thereofcorresponding with the candle ame Yof a real candle with respect to thesimulatedcandle I6.

'In order that the several -wicks 20 Can be ignitedautomatiCally from aremote location, an elec-.- trical igniter v2.1i, is positioned in .eachof the simulated candles I6 and'adjacent the wick 20 rso that an.electric spark can bedirected therefrom to they tip .I1 4and the wickV2|) ignited thereby. This arrangement is best illustrated in Figure 2Aof the .drawings wherein the .electrical igniting means is shown inenlarged detail with respect to the remainder :of the simulated candleI6. An

electrical circuit iscorinectedfbeizween the ignition means `24 and -acontrol mechanism 25 which incorporates a timer 26, a suitable ignitioncoil and a control switch 21. A plurality of circuit Wires 28 and 29establish the electrical circuit with the igniter 24 and the timer 26 isa device known in the aart and capable of predetermined operation over a`predetermined cycle For example, in a candelabra holding ten candles,the timer 26 is arranged to ignite the candles in the following order:1, 3, 10, '7, 6, 5, 8, 9, 4 and 2, which lighting arrangement is thatcustomarily employed in the lighting of ten candle candelabras. It willbe obvious that any other lighting arrangement may be employed ifdesired or that all the candles may be simultaneously ignited ifdesired.

In order that the candles may be extinguished when desired and from aremote location, a vacuum pump such as shown in Figure 3 of thedrawings, and indicated by the numeral 30, is positioned in a remotelocation and connected by means of a suitable pipe 3l with the interiorof the support member l which in turn communicates with the interior ofthe cross piece Il. A tubular slide valve 32 is disposedin the crosspiece Il and has a plurality of orifices 33 positioned thereon forsimultaneous or progressive nectthe solenoid 34 with the timingmechanism heretofore referred to. The plunger of the solenoid 34 isbiased in one direction by a coil spring 31 and adapted to be moved inthe other direction by the solenoid 34. As illustrated, the solenoid isenergized and the slide valve 32 has moved to bring the several orifices33 into registry with the tubes I8 whereby the same are placed incommunication with the Vacuum pump and the :llames on the wicks 2Uextinguished by the inrushing air.

As heretofore described, the orifices 33 may be positioned progressivelyalong the slide valve 32 so that as the solenoid 34 moves the same, thecandles will be extinguished in a predetermined order.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the cross piece Ilpositioned horizontally in Figure 1 of the drawings may be alternatelyformed in two sections, each of which extend outwardly and downwardlywith respect to the support member I0 and each of which encloses aseparate slide Valve 32 so that the simulated candles I6 may be ofuniform height and supported on inclined supporting means.

It will thus be seen that a simple and efficient automatic candelabrahas been disclosed which may be economically constructed of relativelysimple parts and which will give the appearance of a conventionalcandelabra and wax candles both .when ignited and when extinguished andthat additionally the device provides for the automatic ignition of theseveral candles from a remote location at a predetermined time andlighting arrangement as well as for the automatic extinguishment of thecandles from a remote location also at a predetermined time andpredetermined arrangement if desired.

It will thus be seen that the several objects have been met by theautomatic candelabra disclosed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. An automatic candelabra including a support member, at least onetubular cross piece and at least one simulated candle positionedthereon, an oil reservoir and a wick in the said simulated candle and anelectrical igniter in the simulated candle in proximity to the saidwick, and a passageway communicating with the said cross piece and avacuum pump in communication with the said cross piece, and a valve insaid cross piece normally closing communication between the cross pieceand the passageway.

2. An automatic candelabra including a support member, at least onetubular cross piece and at least one simulated candle positionedthereon, an oil reservoir and a wick in the said simulated candle and anelectrical igniter in the simulated candle in proximity to the saidwick, and a passageway in said candle communicating with the said crosspiece, a valve in said cross piece normally closing communicationbetween the cross piece and the passageway, and means for remotelyactuating said valve whereby the candle may be extinguished.

3. An automatic candelabra including a support member, at least onetubular cross piece and at least one simulated candle positionedthereon, an oil reservoir and a wick in the said simulated candle and anelectrical igniter in the simulated candle in proximity to the saidwick, a power source and circuit wires connecting said igniter with saidpower source, and a passageway communicating with the said cross pieceand a vacuum pump in communication between the cross piece and thepassageway.

4. An automatic candelabra including a support member, at least onetubular cross piece and at least one simulated candle positionedthereon, an oil reservoir and a wick in the said simulated candle and anelectrical igniter in the simulated candle in proximity to the saidwick, a power source and circuit wires connecting said igniter with saidpower source, and al passageway communicating with the said cross pieceand a vacuum pump in communication between the cross piece and thepassageway, and means remotely actuating said valve whereby the candlemay be extinguished.

5. A candelabra comprising a tubular support member, a vacuum pump incommunication with said support member, at least one tubular cross pieceon said support member and in communication with the said supportmember, and a slide Valve in said cross piece and remotely controlledmeans for actuating said slide valve, at least one simulated candle onsaid cross piece and a tube in said simulated candle communicating withthe said cross piece, at least one orifice in the slide valve forregistry with the said tube, a tip on said simulated candle dening anorifice, a wick tube positioned partially within said tube and a reser-Voir in said simulated candle about the said tube and electrical meansfor igniting the said wick, and electrically actuated means for movingthe said slide valve.

DAVID G. SIPES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,146,441 Powers Feb. 7, 19392,291,441 Avampato July 18, 1942

